Withlacoochee River flood paddle 2021-02-27

Update 2023-02-15: Paddling in the treetops 2023-02-13 and for real two years ago 2021-02-27 2023-02-13.

Some of us paddled anyway back in February, after we first rescheduled the Mayor’s Paddle, which is coming up next weekend, Saturday, March 27, 2021. Two months earlier, it was smooth sailing for experienced paddlers. The overhanging branches would have been a problem for novices, and there were very few places to get out if you did capsize.

But the Withlacoochee River should be just right by this Saturday, so come on along!
https://wwals.net/?p=54923

You’ll get to see the Little River Confluence, future site of Troupville River Camp, when it’s not underwater, as well as the Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant Outfall (of clean treated water), Millrace Creek and other creeks, as well as three bridges, including our takeout just below Spook Bridge. Thanks to The Langdale Company for access there and at the lunch stop.

WWALS is happy to have Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson as our guest. He will speak before we paddle, as will Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter. We are inviting nearby county and city officials in Georgia and Florida, as well as statehouse and Congress members. Each elected official will get three minutes to speak.

Left: Smooth paddling, Mayor at WWTP Outfall, Sunny overhanging limbs, Buzzards, Lunch stop with Russell’s turtle, Spook Bridge

Need a bigger boat, Mayor?, 09:06:29, 30.8515344, -83.3478232

I will say a few words about advocacy, especially water quality testing. Expedition leader Bobby McKenzie will give the safety lecture. Then we will paddle!

Click on any small picture to see a larger one.

Those branches are usually 20 feet overhead, 09:07:58, 30.8505670, -83.3483760

Mayor Huck Finn, 09:08:02, 30.8505671, -83.3483762

Little River Confluence

She enjoyed the paddle, 09:13:08, 30.8470755, -83.3477831

Bobby leading the way, 09:13:13, 30.8471141, -83.3477227

Withlacoochee River coming in, 09:13:35, 30.8469839, -83.3477638

Rapids at lower water

Convoy, 09:19:51, 30.8456137, -83.3514877

Sideways, 09:20:49, 30.8450444, -83.3512184

Chilly but fun, 09:23:30, 30.8434317, -83.3503875

Palmettos, 09:25:07, 30.8425080, -83.3500970

Loch-Winn Branch

Debris in deadfall, 09:26:07, 30.8417480, -83.3506710

Watery Mayor, 09:27:43, 30.8415861, -83.3518485

Red maple, 09:33:07, 30.8391300, -83.3555400

WWTP Outfall

Distant WWTP outfall sign, 09:38:15, 30.8363392, -83.3590054

Barely out of the water, 09:38:25, 30.8362980, -83.3590740

Mayor and WWTP outfall sign, 09:39:32, 30.8360190, -83.3594110

Sign and pipe path, 09:40:41, 30.8359870, -83.3594897

Manhole cover and paddlers, 09:43:13, 30.8355220, -83.3586490

Back of the sign, 09:44:46, 30.8359534, -83.3592593

Onwards

Spanish moss, 09:45:31, 30.8361592, -83.3599706

Tree limbs in water, 09:51:58, 30.8392603, -83.3644126

Over there, 09:52:01, 30.8392603, -83.3644126

Watch out for overhanging tree limbs, 09:52:02, 30.8392603, -83.3644126

Wetherington Branch and beyond

Serene, 09:54:52, 30.8369990, -83.3645770

Alongside, 09:55:52, 30.8375604, -83.3656330

Sunny straight stretch, 09:56:45, 30.8378170, -83.3659590

Vultures

Buzzards in tree and air, 09:59:59, 30.8377350, -83.3687240

Private river access

Swing seat, 10:01:37, 30.8377523, -83.3699970

Concrete, 10:01:41, 30.8377520, -83.3699970

Concrete and swing, 10:01:45, 30.8378094, -83.3700398

Buzzard Bend

Three paddlers, 10:04:02, 30.8384530, -83.3713280

Nice trees, 10:04:18, 30.8386580, -83.3713780

More vultures

Buzzards sunning, 10:04:28, 30.8387100, -83.3714430

Red maple buzzards, 10:09:56, 30.8383830, -83.3742850

Black Buzzards, 10:10:01, 30.8384310, -83.3743400

Paddlers

Sometimes you have to adjust your seating, 10:05:00, 30.8391548, -83.3716954

Driftwood, 10:05:05, 30.8392304, -83.3717073

Green, black, and bubbly, 10:11:46, 30.8368210, -83.3745280

Landfill Branch 03110203004643

Below the landfill, 10:21:00, 30.8308330, -83.3791390

Kinderlou

High left bank, 10:44:28, 30.8255928, -83.3935344

McCree Tract

Warmer, 11:12:10, 30.8263129, -83.4167596

Lunch spot

Paddlers and boats, 11:29:31, 30.8160291, -83.4244580

Paddlers stretching, 11:29:29, 30.8160291, -83.4244580

Concrete blocks, 11:26:57, 30.8158588, -83.4245995

Access woods road, 11:28:25, 30.8159674, -83.4243390

Towards the river, 11:28:28, 30.8159675, -83.4243301

Yellow jessamine, 11:28:46, 30.8160104, -83.4243552

Banner

Russell, 11:35:47, 30.8160346, -83.4247496

jsq, 11:36:21, 30.8160766, -83.4249250

Way out, 11:41:50, 30.8158453, -83.4249292

Millrace Creek

Hidden Millrace Creek, 11:59:28, 30.8147763, -83.4376973

Sabal Trail fracked methane pipelinne

Sabal Trail sign in water, 12:38:08, 30.7954320, -83.4524574

Warning, Buried Natural Gas Pipeline Crossing 12:39:21, 30.7954167, -83.4528262

Left bank sign, 12:39:51, 30.7954650, -83.4527910

Not this take-out

US 84 bridge, 12:39:57, 30.7954246, -83.4527787

High water at US 84, 12:41:00, 30.7943438, -83.4532721

US 84 Landing, 12:41:14, 30.7940992, -83.4534950

Bridges

US 84 Bridge, 12:41:10, 30.7941354, -83.4534191

CSX RR Bridge, 12:41:35, 30.7937100, -83.4535007

Flow buoy, 12:41:45, 30.7935818, -83.4535888

CSX RR Bridge and phone line, 12:42:01, 30.7930535, -83.4535153

SB

Spook Bridge in the distance, 12:43:51, 30.7909700, -83.4523178

Bobby under Spook Bridge, 12:44:01, 30.7908290, -83.4521411

Spook Bridge take out, 12:44:31, 30.7903213, -83.4518805

Easy landing, 12:45:12, 30.7895902, -83.4517462

On land

Power line right of way, 12:49:44, 30.7896790, -83.4509550

Paddlers and Gretchen who waited half an hour for us, 12:50:05, 30.7896174, -83.4509950

Inland bridge with sand on mud, 13:03:01, 30.7900872, -83.4487483

No flow under inland bridge, 13:03:08, 30.7901088, -83.4487730

STT

Sabal Trail pipeline (looking south across Tiger Creek), 13:06:10, 30.7902730, -83.4479820

Sabal Trail (looking north towards the river), 13:06:15, 30.7902620, -83.4479180

Flowers

Yellow jessamine, 13:08:34, 30.7904000, -83.4469000

Boats on truck, 13:08:36, 30.7903138, -83.4469027

See also pictures on facebook by:

Russell Allen McBride starring his turtle hitchhiker
Russell’s 3-minute video.

Join us, Saturday, March 27, 2021. Looks like the level at the US 84 Withlacoochee River gauge will be down from the 101 feet NAVD88 (above sealevel, or 17.5′ above the river bottm) it was in February to about 89 NAVD88 (5.5′) or lower.

That dozen feet will make a huge difference. That will be well below Action Stage (99′ NAVD88), and we hope still enough above Low State (85.5′ NAVD88) to avoid too many rapids or boat dragging. It should be fun. Come on along!

Google Map of picture locations

Here’s a googlemap of where I took the pictures:

Thease locations are overlaid on a copy of the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

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